Short-term rental permit rules in Indio, CA — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
The City of Indio requires a short-term rental permit under Municipal Code Chapter 37 before advertising or renting any dwelling for 30 days or fewer. Section 37.004 bars operating without a permit, a city business license (Ch. 110), and TOT registration (Ch. 34). The permit is non-transferable, valid only for approved bedrooms, and requires a city inspection.
Indio is an incorporated city, so its own Municipal Code Chapter 37 (Regulation of Short-Term Rentals), adopted by Ordinance 1766 on December 14, 2021 and amended by Ordinance 1809 on February 21, 2024, governs vacation rentals citywide rather than Riverside County's ordinance. Section 37.004 makes it unlawful for any owner, person, or entity to advertise, list, book, or maintain a short-term rental of a residential dwelling for 30 consecutive days or fewer without first obtaining a city permit and also maintaining a business license under Chapter 110 and complying with the transient occupancy tax ordinance in Chapter 34. The permit is valid only for the number of bedrooms the city establishes as eligible. Under Section 37.005 the owner files a city application with owner and 24-hour local-contact details, the bedroom count and occupancy limit, a parking plan, advertising URLs, a front photo, proof of business license, an indemnification agreement, and proof of $1,000,000 liability insurance. If the property is in an HOA, Section 37.005(D) requires a letter showing the CC&Rs do not prohibit short-term rentals. Section 37.006 requires a building, fire, and health-and-safety inspection before a new permit issues and every five years thereafter. Notably, unlike many cities, Indio does not impose an owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement; the code's OWNER definition (Section 37.002) expressly includes corporations and other legal entities.
Operating without a valid permit is prohibited under Section 37.019 (formerly 37.018), and advertising is prima facie evidence of operation. Violations are a misdemeanor punishable under Chapter 12, or may be charged by administrative citation with fines set by City Council resolution; each day is a separate violation. The Permit Administrator may revoke a permit for a third permitting- or noise-related violation in a term, and a revoked owner may not reapply for one year (Section 37.016).
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Riverside County.
See how other cities in Riverside County handle permit requirements.
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